The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has directed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration to furnish it with all necessary documents on a GH¢7,967,886.57 project that was initially supposed to cost government GH¢1,435,728.99.
The contractor reportedly failed to execute the project on time because of ill-health but was later re-awarded same contract at about 90% the original cost.
The contract was for the rehabilitation of Adu Lodge Guest House and awarded to International Development Resources on March 15, 2007.
However, according to the Acting Chief Director of the Ministry, Ambassador Ramses Joseph Cleland, the project came to a grind a year later due to the ill health of the contractor.
When the Ministry appeared before the PAC on Friday, January 20, 2023, it disclosed that the project was revisited in March 2019 and upon the request of the consultant, was re-valued to GH¢7,967,886.57 for the same contractor to execute.
The Auditor General’s report noted that, as of June 2019, a total of GH¢7,741,501.60 (representing 90% of the contract sum) had already been paid.
According to the Ministry, the project has finally been completed and handed over to the Ministry, after 13 years of delay.
The Committee was, however, not satisfied with the explanation from the Ministry and questioned whether the terms of the contract allowed for the inability of the contractor to execute the project in due course, to come at a cost to the state.
The Ministry in response said they were unable to speak to that except the estate officer, who was not present at the committee sitting.
The Committee thereby directed all documents and contracts covering the project be made available to it for scrutiny.
